TCL 65S517 65 Inch 4K Ultra HD Roku Smart LED TV 2018 Model

Review Summary - 615 recent, verified reviews

Detailed Mode

Picture Quality

194

tv, tcl, sound, price, picture and sound

+94%

-6%

" ... It has an outstanding picture quality. ... The picture quality is so clear and life-like, it's very nearly a 3D image. ... Without exaggerating, there are scenes where I've gotten a bit of vertigo from them because of the image quality. ... "

" ... The TV is beautiful, the picture is great ... "

" ... Good picture, yet not as sharp, colors not as bright as top brands like Sony, Samsung or LG. ... "

" ... Has a perfect picture and was easy to program. ... "

" ... Picture quality is sharp and crisp with great color. ... "

" ... I am amazed at the picture quality. ... "

" ... 10/10 picture quality for the price. ... "

" ... Great picture, super light and very easy to use. ... "

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Software Platform

145

tv, apps, netflix, app, tcl

+78%

-22%

" ... Maybe you love Roku the Roku streaming stick. ... "

" ... The picture is good not great- if this is your sole/ main TV I recommend upgrading to the 6 series which has the same interface with a markedly superior picture. ... "

" ... If you are using external Roku then this is the best upgrade you will have, as Roku interface is built in and better. ... "

" ... The integrated Roku is a very nice feature that makes this unit a great all-in-one product. ... "

" ... Easy set up and the Roku app makes it easy to navigate on mu iphone. ... "

" ... The apps portion of the TV is nice too. ... There is pretty much an app for anything you could want to do with your new 4k smart TV. ... I compared pricing on this model, 5-series, versus TCL's own 6-series model of the 55in version. ... "

" ... LOL So I wanted a bigger TV, I really like the Roku system so instead of buying them separately I figured I'd get a TV based on it. ... I watch MLB Network a lot and it sounds like they're in a box. ... The 4K is really nice, I love the Roku system integration. ... "

" ... The second Roku TV I've owned, and the best so far. ... "

Price

134

tv, money, value, point, picture

+98%

-2%

" ... Great tv for the money. ... "

" ... Overall great TV for my money. ... "

" ... I am a frugal guy, so the splurge of spending 400+ dollars 10 years ago was a big purchase for me. ... Bottom line: Fir the size and purchase price, this is an amazing value. ... "

" ... I decided this is a better deal. ... It has a fantastic picture (I do not have an OLED to compare it to) for the price point. ... "

" ... Being a budget TV I had my expectations in check. ... "

" ... For the money it is great. ... "

" ... Great tv, great price! ... I highly recommend this tv the value truly exceeds the the price. ... "

" ... For the price, you really can't beat it. ... "

Resolution

131

hdr, roku, tcl, content, 1080p

+95%

-5%

" ... A 55" diagonal is enough to enjoy the full 4K HDR video. ... "

" ... The quality of the image is outstanding ❤️❤️ I love the price love the sound and the quality of the 4K is soooo worth the price tag! ... "

" ... The image was beautiful, I could turn off all smoothing with no noticeable ghosting, the Dolby HDR worked great, and having the input selection built into the Roku UI was excellent. ... "

" ... plus i haven't ponied up money for more bandwidth needed with 4K so the best i can see is 1440. wow not much of a review so far. ... "

" ... Samsung and LG must be very upset that TCL produces LED screens that are 40% cheaper yet similar in quality. ... "

" ... I purchased this for just under $400, and it is the first 4k TV, and the first ROKU TV I've owned. ... ), and having upgraded my NETFLIX to 4k streaming ($3 extra/month) I am impressed with the picture color and definition! ... "

" ... I bought this to play 4K games with my Xbox One X. ... It’s no OLED but it is still light years ahead of my 1080p tv. ... Forward Horizon 4 looks and plays amazing in 4K. ... I think this is one of the best bang for your buck TVs you can get for 4K gaming. ... "

" ... After thoroughly researching low-end 32" 4k monitors, I nabbed the 43" model for $70 less and am very happy with the result. ... The 4k content I have looked at via the Roku functionality (Plex, YouTube) clearly looks better on this device than either of our 1080p TVs. ... "

Sound Quality

88

tv, bar, speakers, audio, picture

+93%

-7%

" ... I've only had it for one day, however, I really like the picture quality and the sound that comes out of it (without a sound bar or any other sound enhancing technology) is great! ... "

" ... Picture and sound is really good. ... "

" ... Overall, now very pleased with the picture and sound. ... "

" ... Easy to set up, good sound ... "

" ... The sound is great it gets really loud and there are several sound settings to choose from. ... "

" ... I am by no means an audiophile so I can live with the TV speakers, but I would still plan on getting some additional speakers to improve the sound. ... "

" ... i did add a bose sound bar but the sound isnt to bad if in a bedroom. ... i just love my sound bars though. ... "

" ... Great visual and audio quality. ... "

Ease of Use

79

set, easy to use, easy to set, setup, simple

+100%

" ... It was easy to setup within a few minutes. ... "

" ... Set up was easy. ... "

" ... I also like that it is easy to use. ... The set up and the control are simple. ... This one is simple. ... "

" ... Very easy set up . ... "

" ... Menu is very user-friendly, simple to use, and expedient in its retrieval/action. ... "

" ... Easy to set up, good sound ... "

" ... The controls are easy to use. ... "

" ... It's sleek, super thin, great quality and easy to set up especially for someone that is NOT a tech geek like me. ... "

" ... The settings menu is easy to access too and getting the screen set to your preferences is simple. ... "

" ... This is my first TCL TV it's been a really enjoyable experience so far! ... "

" ... The quality of the screen is magnificent. ... "

Device Compatibility

75

monitor, streaming, smart tv, xbox one, first smart tv

+80%

-20%

" ... It connected to our wifi with no problems at all. ... "

" ... This is my third TCL TV. ... "

" ... All that said, I make no recommendation as a TV, but as a computer monitor it's pretty decent and for the price, kinda hard to beat. ... "

" ... Once entered, the TV remembers the passwords. ... "

" ... Very happy with this tv. ... "

" ... Very easy to connect and set up. ... "

" ... Otherwise amazing tv. ... "

" ... I watch Movies & play this on my PC. ... "

Setup

58

set, setup, tv, roku, super

+98%

-2%

" ... He spoke to TCL to doublecheck he was using the right settings to connect. ... "

" ... Very easy set-up. ... "

" ... It makes it a simpler setup than having to remember which input they are plugged into. ... "

" ... A bit confusing setup for old schoolers like my self . ... "

" ... Very easy to connect and set up. ... "

" ... Setup was relatively easy. ... "

" ... The TV was easy to setup, by a single person. ... "

" ... The TCL TV is very easy Setup. ... "

Remote

55

tv, roku, control, voice, tcl

+76%

-24%

" ... My husband loves this TV also so it’s been tough getting the remote back from him. ... "

" ... -CEC is working with my Sony DH540 receiver ... "

" ... -The TV paired easily with my universal remote. ... "

" ... The remote is awesome! ... "

" ... Great picture, but the really nice thing is that one remote does it all. ... Previously, we turned on the tv with the tv remote than used the roku remote to stream. ... Now just one remote and volume and mute buttons right on the remote. ... "

" ... Easy to navigate with the remote and smart TV. ... "

" ... Setting up the TV first time plugging in is super easy, remote is streamlined to no more than 15 buttons I believe, 4 of them being quick keys to highly used apps (Netflix for example!) ... The remote is a smart/magic remote that has a voice control button. ... "

" ... But their sets do not have a voice remote. ... The TV's remote is small, has large buttons (and not many of them) and overall easy to use. ... And just like Fire, you can download a Roku app to your smartphone and use it as a remote. ... Saves you if you lose the remote and this also lets you plug in headphones and listen to the sound without disturbing others. ... When in that source, you press the * button on the remote which brings up settings. ... "

Color

52

colors, dark, scenes, contrast, blacks

+73%

-27%

" ... I have noticed people complain about the brightness? ... "

" ... Colors are vivid, picture is very sharp. ... "

" ... TURN SHARPNESS TO ZERO ... Four to five stars just because in some action movies the pictures can get blurry. ... "

" ... The picture seems bright enough for me, I have everything set to Normal and the picture clear and crisp. ... "

" ... I don't think the brightness level is quit good enough to fully support HDR but it is as good as expected for the price. ... "

" ... You will notice your true blacks white out on the screeen occasionally which is what you get with any low end TV. ... "

" ... The TV is in a fairly dark entertainment room and the picture has great color. ... "

" ... The colors are vivid. ... "

Apps

42

roku, app, tv, netflix, prime video

+79%

-21%

" ... If you trust the word of a random software developer, here is what I have to say: ... "

" ... I haven’t had any issues with connecting the the internet or running an app. ... "

" ... It even recognizes my viewing habits and plays my movies and playlists through voice activation based on what apps I use the most. ... "

" ... I had ordered two by mistake and they hadn’t arrived at the same time. ... "

" ... The picture is very good but took forever to get the picture just the way I wanted it. ... I spent the time and the picture looks very good now. ... "

" ... The picture is unbelievable. ... "

" ... I decided this is a better deal. ... "

" ... Thank you Amazon for taking care of your customer and making sure i picked a really nice set in time for the Superbowl. ... "

" ... Thank you TCL and Amazon ... "

Product Reliability

31

months, last, years, working, weeks

+58%

-42%

" ... We bought this to replace our Samsung that kicked the bucket after ten years. ... "

" ... It's been 3 weeks since I received the TV (43") and so far I'm happy with it. ... "

" ... I plan to keep this piece of electronica around for a few years. ... "

" ... It has been on for 5 hours and no problems. ... "

" ... I have had no issues with the Set and it is working well. ... "

" ... also i've only had it a month so i can't say much about longevity. ... "

" ... Just got this TV last week, so far it works very well. ... "

" ... Quit over thinking the purchase and just buy it. ... "

Gaming

23

games, lag, ps4 pro, paced, mode

+100%

" ... The most surprising thing has to be how low the response time is for gaming, it is significantly more responsive than any of my other TVs, even the small ones. ... "

" ... Corporate games, I have no doubt. ... "

" ... The refresh rate works very well for gaming and the built-in Roku gets the job done. ... "

" ... is great for gaming an watching movies. ... "

" ... The only reason I'm not returning the TV is that I'm primarily using it for gaming. ... - Great for game consoles ... "

" ... Video Games: I played some Skyrim and Rocket League. ... "

" ... I also have an Xbox One S connected and everything from the basic menu, to cinematic game-play looks amazing. ... There is no noticeable input lag on either of the inputs and super fast paced FPS games, as well as Racing games are both super smooth, even at 150+ mph. ... "

" ... I haven't done any intense rendering or anything yet, and I don't use this for TV or gaming. ... "

Features

23

tv, picture, light, smart features, terrific

+78%

-22%

" ... The price is fantastic considering the feature set that this TV comes with, and cannot be matched. ... "

" ... Came with features I didn’t realize I would like. ... "

" ... The picture is terrific and if you are so inclined it's "smart" features are easily available. ... "

" ... But it looks a lot better and offers features you don't expect at a sub $500 price. ... "

" ... The black is nice dark, no light spots. ... "

" ... From the design to the features . ... "

" ... Really nice tv with great features . ... "

" ... These newer models are a little more expensive than last years models but to me the better quality and features are totally worth it especially now that the picture is more premium feeling. ... "

" ... I connected the HDMI ARC port to my new Samsung Sound Bar’s ARC and can control the sound from the cable remote without any further configuration. ... "

" ... Port wise it has all the standard ports + ethernet port. ... "

" ... Just screw on the feet (make sure your stand is wide enough) with a P2 screwdriver, plug in an Ethernet cord and power everything up that is connected to the TV (satellite box, DVD player, etc). ... "

" ... There is a dialogue setting on the sound that helps make speech more distinguishable. ... "

" ... The controls are easy to use. ... "

" ... Easy to use change feature for display, gaming vs movie, as well as sound. ... "

" ... If you mute and use volume up/down to turn sound back on, close caption is still enabled. ... "

" ... The control functions great and has a nice soft feel in the hand. ... "

" ... The sound is great it gets really loud and there are several sound settings to choose from. ... "

" ... Now just one remote and volume and mute buttons right on the remote. ... "

" ... The volume control is on the side allowing you to reach all the buttons without moving your hand. ... The volume buttons on the side also makes it easy to find while laying in bed with the lights off as the remote does not light up. ... "

" ... I got this TV for an upstairs bedroom, and immediately I was really impressed with the small bezels and overall build quality of this year's model. ... "

" ... THE ups GUY WAS SO NICE THAT HE HELP US ( OLD PEOPLE ) BRING THE TV TO MY BEDROOM, ... "

" ... I use in-house Plex extensively, so this set is perfect for the intended purpose. ... "

" ... It is a very nice tv perfect for the bedroom, or small room. ... "

" ... Ordered for conference room monitor. ... "

" ... I just purchased the 65" version for my living room. ... "

" ... The price on Amazon is a little high but we needed to get the 49” size for our living room and that size is not often available in the retail stores. ... "

Cables

16

tv, cord, cutter, cable satellite, cable box

+88%

-13%

" ... No more cable/satellite for me. ... "

" ... 3) Connecting headphones or audio cable mutes both the on-board audio and also your external sound system if you have one. ... "

" ... They provide the necessary code settings for the cable remote to control the TV for only a few of the major cable suppliers, and they do not mention a necessary change in the TV's default settings necessary to make using the cable remote practical. ... "

" ... I mostly use the TV to watch Cable TV. ... "

" ... On a side note I just "cut the cord" and got rid of my cable TV provider and now stream all of my content through a TV streaming service like "Sling TV" and this TV is perfect for this. ... "

" ... The 55” TCL 5 series TV is one of the best TVs on the market for the budget conscious Cord cutter. ... "

" ... 100% recommended for cable cutters ... "

" ... its a cable cutter 100% happy so far. ... "

Device Stand

15

wall, mount, stand, mounting, mounted

+73%

-27%

" ... My TV stand is 41" wide, so this fit. ... Another note - YOU CAN BUY feet that attach to the VESA mounts on the back of most flat panel TV's. ... Cheaper than a new TV stand. ... I would much prefer a stand in the middle like my old TV had. ... "

" ... It's not as easy as just finding a VESA 200 x 200 mount. ... Only a set VESA 200x200 will work with vertical brackets. ... Additionally, even with the horizontal brackets, spacers are needed for both the bottom and top holes. ... Keep in mind that this also means that you cannot mount with a low profile mount, as the additional spacers are needed. ... That's saying a lot since the TV really doesn't weigh much and doesn't require a heavy duty mount. ... "

" ... One small thing I would have liked better are the TV stands. ... "

" ... Unboxing and mounting to a TV stand with the VESA mounting holes was fairly easy, and the frame of the TV felt very sturdy in my hands. ... "

" ... I currently have the TV mounted on the wall with a Mounting Dream fully movable mount, and it looks like modern art above my fireplace. ... "

" ... Very Nice TV, In this review the TV lost a star because TV legs do not mount correctly. ... If you are wall or bracket mounting you will not have an issue with this. ... "

" ... I mounted it on the wall. ... "

" ... I mounted mine on the wall, and it worked beautifully. ... "

Returns

15

amazon, returning, replacement, back, returned

+13%

-87%

" ... I will be contacting Amazon for a replacement. ... "

" ... Was sent replacement which did the same thing. ... "

" ... I returned it ... "

" ... Tech support said to return it. ... "

" ... The same thing could happen but outside of amazons return window. ... "

" ... Plus the screen is doing this weird flashing thing on sections of the screen that is dark. ... "

" ... Although the screen seems ok, i will be returning as 1) it’s quite noticeable and unsightly and 2) im concerned perhaps the bent frame is a result of some damage that may cause other problems which i don’t notice now but may with the TV down the road. ... "

" ... Screen now intermittently flickers not even two months later. ... "

" ... TV was delivered damage cracked and messed up it was damaged very upset ... "

" ... Then my toddler tapped it with a brio train track and that quarter of the LCD display shattered completely. ... No cracks, scratches or even marks on the glass. ... "

Wifi

13

tv, router, network, connection, wi fi

+69%

-31%

" ... The TV works great with our 5G internet. ... "

" ... It connected to our wifi with no problems at all. ... "

" ... I used a wired setup since my router is right there on the mantle and I want my TV to have the preference when divvying up the 12mbps service I have currently. ... "

" ... The answer I received was my router or network is at fault. ... Got a new network, new router and my 3 other TVs and laptops work just great. ... "

" ... It also reads the 5 gigahertz channel of Wi-Fi so very fast stream speeds! ... "

" ... I like the Roku interface, using our set with WIFI only, for now. ... "

Design

13

look, design, thin, really, flaw

+77%

-23%

" ... It has a matte metallic finish, thin bezel, and the depth is really, really thin. ... "

" ... Kinda makes 256's 16 million look silly haha. ... "

" ... Anyway, I decided they needed something new and shiny. ... "

" ... Having said that, it's beautiful. ... "

" ... It almost looks more real than real. ... "

" ... It looks amazing. ... "

" ... I can't decide which looks the best. ... "

" ... This model has the slim border which gives a slick look. ... "

Volume

10

loud, speakers, sound, sound bar, house

+70%

-30%

" ... The sound is great it gets really loud and there are several sound settings to choose from. ... "

" ... If you mute and use volume up/down to turn sound back on, close caption is still enabled. ... "

" ... But the built in speakers work, they go loud enough to hear easily, even in a house with other people walking around talking, and you could definitely survive just using those. ... "

" ... i did add a bose sound bar but the sound isnt to bad if in a bedroom. ... "

" ... Built in speakers are loud enough to use without needing anything else, at least for my purposes. ... "

" ... Internal speakers not bad for bedroom, I would recommend an Atmos soundbar with woofer, minimum, for any other room. ... "

Network

10

antenna, network, wifi, connection, connected

+40%

-60%

" ... Our area has slow internet so streaming isn't a good option. ... "

" ... Will keep disconnecting from wifi randomly. ... For the brief time it is connected the connection is insanely slow. ... "

" ... This never happened with my Vizio using the same antenna. ... "

" ... Single story home, only one wall between TV and router. ... "

Overall performance

9

time, price, performance, lag, issues

+89%

-11%

" ... Now here is a truly outstanding and GREAT VALUE for your money, I checked around and this combo price is fantastic, and WONDERFUL performance, Thank You . ... "

" ... Fairly quick to boot and responsive. ... "

" ... Very happy with TV, price and shipping speed ... "

" ... Great picture and super fast interface. ... "

" ... I use it mostly with my playstation pro and it does a great job. ... "

" ... -Fast lag response time ... "

" ... Every once in a while you can detect some issues with extremely fast images but for our purposes it is good enough. ... "

" ... Also, what's most important is it STARTS UP FAST. ... "

Delivery

8

shipping, received, arrived, ordered, delivery

+100%

" ... When I opened the box I was extremely pleased with how things it is. ... "

" ... I bought this TV recently and it was delivered on 12/21/18 . ... "

" ... I had ordered two by mistake and they hadn’t arrived at the same time. ... "

" ... Delivery was when it was supposed to be. ... "

" ... My screen was delivered perfect . ... "

" ... Delivered in good condition. ... "

" ... Shipping packaging was perfect, item arrived perfect . ... "

Refresh Rate

8

4k, soap, opera, flicker, 60hz

+100%

" ... It's possible but a 144hz monitor would be preferred. ... "

" ... The motion is good and I have nothing to complain about the refresh rate nor do I feel like there are any issues with the "soap opera effect." ... "

" ... This TV is a 60Hz refresh rate, and has the "Enhanced Motion" that most TVs have now a days, that adds extra frames, and can give the "soap opera look". ... "

" ... In the product details, it claims to be a 120Hz refresh rate. ... "

" ... I'm currently gaming at 1080P until I upgrade to a video card that can game at 4K without excessively low frame rates. ... Yes, the refresh rate is 60 Hz at 4K but my eyes can't see any flicker in 60 Hz. ... Going to 120 Hz would just be for bragging rights, I would never see the difference. ... "

" ... It is a good TV for the price, however it does not have a refresh rate of 120 HZ as it is listed, instead it has 60 hz refresh rate and can give the "appearance" of 120 Hz but it is a solid 4k smart tv for the money, video games, blu rays, and 4K streaming look really good. ... "

Build Quality

8

legs, thin, mine, build quality, tv

+75%

-25%

" ... Build quality is nice, and it's ludicrously thin (top half) at only 1/4 inches! ... some people have had it bend during shipping, but mine was fine. ... it seems like it would be easy to bend or break if removed and handled carelessly. ... "

" ... They are very adjustable, very "Smart" and very well designed and built. ... "

" ... A solid stand would been better. ... "

" ... I really enjoy mine and the material quality is much better than one would expect. ... "